Relying on the truth of what we know about God in times of fears and doubts.
In the first part of this post (Trust & Obey - Part 1), we explored some of the common fears and doubts we might have when it comes to obeying what God is calling us to do:
Is this idea actually from God?
Can I manage/juggle everything well?
Do I have what it takes?
We ended the post by stating that we need to trust God because we know Him. In the second part of this post, we focus on what exactly we know about Him. What we know about God is revealed not only all over the Bible from beginning to end but is also reveled to us in His creation (Roman 1:20).
Now, this is obviously not a comprehensive list of what we know about God (that list could go on forever). But, here are a few that we can lean upon as when we struggle with fears and doubts when it comes to obeying what He has called us to do.
So what do we know about our God?
God loves us
Sweet friend, there are no words on this planet which can truly capture the depth of God's immense love for us. It is a love of such incredible beauty and strength, which is beyond human definition.
Isaiah 54:10
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you."
Jeremiah 31:3
"The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness."
A love that literally lasts forever. Everlasting unfailing love. Wow! Friend, take a minute to try to wrap your mind around the magnitude and reality of that incredible statement of truth. Let the meaning of those words soak into your bones and deep into the depths of your soul.
God is GOOD
God is good. All the time. Everything about Him is nothing but good. Everything that is good comes from Him. He does not change. He was good yesterday, He is good today, He will remain good forever.
Psalm 92:15
“The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
Psalm 100:5
"For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."
Psalm 145:9
"The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made."
Psalm 86:5
"For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in loving kindness to all who call upon You."
James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
God's plans for us are good
Since God loves us more than we can ever imagine, we also know that He wants nothing but good for us. We can be assured that His plan for our life is the absolute best plan out there.
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Ephesians 3:20
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,"
God never leaves us
Just as our God loves us, He has also promised that He will never ever leave us. Ever.
Matthew 28:20
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Isaiah 41:10
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
God will equip us
God will equip us with whatever we need in order for us to accomplish His plan for our lives.
Hebrews 13:20-21 "20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Ephesians 2:10
"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
2 Corinthians 9:8
"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
Isaiah 40:29
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."
Philippians 4:13
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength."
God tells us not be to afraid
Luke 12:32
“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
Isaiah 41:13
"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."
What Does This Mean For Us
Friend, our God does not ask us to do something only to then disappear and leave us alone to figure stuff out for ourselves. No.
Friend, if God is calling you to do something, please, do not be afraid. You might feel ill equipped. You might feel scared. But if God is calling you to it, He promises that He WILL equip you with everything that you need in order to do what He has asked.
And what do we know about God?
We know that He is GOOD.
We know that He loves us.
He wants what is best for us.
That He is unchanging.
He is faithful.
He will never leave us or forsake us.
And His promises never fail.
So then what are we waiting for, friend?
Let us choose to let go of our fears and instead cling desperately to our God who is the only one who can help us overcome our fears.
The only unchanging One.
The only faithful One.
The only everlasting One.
2 Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
Don't be afraid. We have no reason to fear. We are relying on the Creator of the Universe. The One who sustains all of life and everything around us. Trust Him. Obey Him. And rest peacefully in the promise that when we submit to Him and obey Him in every single area of our lives, He will guide us, sustain us and strengthen us.
Isaiah 58 is a raw, confronting and beautiful chapter which describes what God really expects from us. And towards the end of the chapter, God shows the amazing promises that He has in store for us, if we but obey Him.
Isaiah 58:11
"The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail."
Friend, let us trust and obey Him.
Isaiah 40:28-31
"Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
"What He says we will do, where He sends we will go; Never fear, only trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there's no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."
Hymn "Trust & Obey composed by John H. Sammis & Professor Towner